Defeat.

[viral]

I forged out a 7/8 round bar for an integral chef knife. Ground it heat treated it and it was looking beautiful. Was on my finish grind and went through 220 and noticed a little funny spot. Those are never good. Did a stress test and snap. About 3 inches from my integral bolster. What a defeat. I worked that 7/8 down by hand. Where the crack came from, I'll never know but it sure hurt. I just wanted to vent after all the hard work.
I don't know where it came from, but I never forged cold. Maybe it was during the heat treat but my oil was warmed and it warped good but I didn't straighten after about 10 seconds once it came from the oil.
It's a mystery and a sad defeat. But I accept it and will just move on. Such is the life of a maker.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

What was the steel, HT temp, temper, and oil type?

 

[viral]

01 drill rod. Heat treat was done at night with low lighting, a shade above no magnetic. It had 2 normalizing cycles done. And canola warmed in the 115-125range.